TfL is calling for more hauliers to apply for a Direct Vision Standard (DVS) permit after revealing that more than 7,000 penalty charge notices (PCNs) have been issued to lorry drivers since the schemes launch in March, raising a minimum of £1.9m in fines.
With penalties ranging from £550 a day to half of that, if paid within 14 days, the scheme is estimated to have raised between £1.9m and £3.8m in fines from hauliers in its first three months.
Under the scheme, in order to drive a truck in London, owners of HGVs over 12 tonnes have to apply for a free permit that assigns trucks a star rating based on how much drivers can see directly through their cab windows.
The scheme operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is enforced on all roads in London, with standards set to tighten further in 2024.
To date, more than 136,000 permits have been issued, TfL said, including more than 4,000 to the highest 5-star rated vehicles.
Around 70,000 zero-star HGVs have had safe systems fitted, which TfL said is saving lives by making London’s roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users and by cutting pollution levels.
Reviewing the scheme’s first three months in action, Christina Calderato, TfL head of transport strategy and planning, said: “In just a few months our Direct Vision Standard has helped to dramatically improve the safety of lorries and save lives.
“We want to thank all of the freight operators who have led the way in ensuring they only operate the safest lorries in London and across the UK and we would like to encourage any freight operators who haven't yet applied for a safety permit to do so.
“The safety permits are just the first step in our aim to ensure that families don't experience the tragedy of preventable road collisions involving HGVs and we will be strengthening our life-saving Direct Vision Standards in 2024.”
Derek Rees, CLOCS programme director, said: “In the last five years, over 28,000 fatal and personal injury collisions occurred between vulnerable road users and vehicles commonly used in construction on Britain's roads.
“The Direct Vision Standard makes a massive contribution as it ensures direct eye contact between the driver and the pedestrians, cyclists and more - critical to prevent collisions and build community confidence in active travel.”
